Early literacy development lays the foundation for lifelong learning and academic success. Participating in activities that build early literacy skills enhances a child’s cognitive abilities, vocabulary acquisition, and comprehension skills. It prepares children to effectively navigate and interpret information in their environments. Fostering literacy from an early age also cultivates a love for reading and empowers children to communicate and express themselves confidently.
The Library has a wide variety of tools and resources designed to assist you and your little ones on your early literacy journey.
1000 Books Before Kindergarten
Our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Program encourages you to read out loud to your child to help them be better prepared for school! As you read books to your child, you are giving them the gift of your time, language, and a love of reading.
To get started, simply visit the Children’s Information Desk at either Library location to receive an informational booklet and a record sheet for your first 100 books. From there, it’s time to start reading! Our librarians will be happy to help you find great books at the Library, or you can read them from your home library. Rereading the same book counts! Be sure to mark a space on the sheet provided for every book read.
Once you have read the first 100 books, return to the Library with your completed registration form and show the record sheet to a staff member at the Children’s Information Desk. You will receive a book bag that will be yours to keep.
After every 100 books are read and recorded, return to either FCL location. At the 200, 400, 600, and 800 levels of participation, your child will receive a free paperback book to keep for your home library. When you complete the 1,000th book… CONGRATULATIONS!! You will get a choice of a free hardcover book to keep for your home library. Prizes will be awarded until September 30 of your child’s Kindergarten year.
We also hold a 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Celebration twice a year in the spring and in the fall. We celebrate all the reading that you and your little ones have done no matter how far along in the program you are! Our next celebration’s theme is Farm Fun and will be held at the FCL Farmington location on October 19th. Click the link below to view the complete event details.
Monthly Early Literacy Activity Calendar
Our monthly early literacy calendars are designed to make the journey of learning to read engaging and enjoyable for your child. Crafted by our Early Childhood Specialist, each month's calendar features daily activities focused on essential skills like talking, playing, reading, writing, and singing.
You can pick up the calendar each month at either FCL location or download them from our website. Display the calendar in a visible spot and dedicate a few minutes each day to the suggested activities. You and your child will have fun going on scavenger hunt strolls, singing songs about the weather, and practicing your counting while pretending to be a rocket ship!
VOX & iVOX Books
VOX books and iVOX books are innovative tools in fostering early literacy skills among young readers.
VOX books merge the tactile experience of holding a physical book with the auditory engagement of an integrated audiobook. Children can follow along with the printed text while simultaneously listening to the narration, enhancing their understanding of pronunciation, pacing, and fluency.
This multisensory approach not only reinforces reading comprehension but also strengthens vocabulary acquisition and linguistic processing. As children engage with VOX books, they benefit from the synchronization of visual and auditory stimuli, which aids in building foundational literacy skills crucial for future academic success.
Anyone with an FCL card can check out VOX books by placing a hold through the Library’s catalog or by visiting either Library location.
iVOX books are the eBook versions of VOX books. iVOX books can be accessed on a web browser or through the mobile app. FCL cardholders can check out up to 12 books at a time and once books are downloaded to the app, the can be accessed offline! The story is read aloud as the words are highlighted at the bottom of the screen—a multi-modal approach that has been proven to aid in literacy development.
Get the iVOX app: iOS | Android | Amazon
Looking for more resources to help your little one develop early literacy skills? Visit our Children’s Departments at either Farmington Community Library location to speak with a librarian about even more resources available.